Can feeding device



Jan. 22, 1952 ALBERTOLI 2,583,313

CAN FEEDING DEVICE F'iled Dec. 3, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. TOHN 19L6ER704/ ,m2/M4 ATTOP/l/[KS Jan. 22, 1952 J. ALBERTOL] cm FEEDING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 3, 1945 ATTOIPIVEYJ 1952 .1. ALBERTOLI CAN FEEDING DEVICE s Shets-She-et 3 Filed Dec. 3, 1945 I no Patented Jan. 22, 1952 'EJNITED STAT- E FATENT OFF-ICE "2,583,313 CAN FEEDING DEVICE ir'diin Albertoli, S an Francisco, Calif. application December 3, 1945, Serial Nb.- 332,47

(Cl. l98"'19) 1 5 class.

This'inventionrelates to a can; feeding device and has for oneof its objectsanimproved device for feeding cans to one or more stations from a single source and in a mannerwhereby cans to each station will be automatically replenished as theyare withdrawn. v I

In the canning industry there are various places where the delivery of cans in succession to'an operator or machine is-required. In most instances there may be a pluralitypf stations to which-such delivery of cans is desired, and the cans are ordinarily inarow and in a predeterminedposition at each station. Sometimes the withdrawal of cansfrom therow-atonestw tion -may gcease or be slower than at another station. During such stoppage or slowing "of operations at one or, several of such stations the delivery to the other stations must be maintained irrespective of whether such stations would nor.- mally receive cans from a'single source earlier or later than the other stations.

With the present invention a simple apparatus is provided that insures uniform'delivery of cans from a single source to any number orstations irrespective of differences in conditions at the various stations. The source of supply'is a con stantly moving row of cans supported on a carrier at a level above the various stations. Cans in a row are withdrawn from 'said carrier and are delivered to each station,,thespeed of the carrier being such as to insure delivery of "a normal supplyof cans to each station under conditions where the operators or machines at said stations are all operating at maximum speed. If the operation many station slows up or ceases the rowof cans "leading to such station is filled (if depleted) ready for resumption of normal operation of such station, and the-cans in the single continuously moving row forming, the source of supply automatically passes the filled row. But the instant cans are withdrawn from said filled row thec'ans from the source of supply automatically are fed thereto.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a diagrammatic side view or the can :feeding system at one of the stations, and Fig. 2 is aplan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the system applied to a number of stations. 7

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of one of the devices for feeding cans to each station, the view Fl 6 is a diagrammatic side new ot a "slightly different ariangejrhentt ia is show'n in Figs. 1 to. d for feeding can site a station.

Fig. '2 is a part'e ev tijj a1 and "art sectional View of a deviceffor 'feeding'cans to a station that includes a printer for the "cans. I v Fig. 8 is an elevational viewoi the device of Fig. '7 at right angles to the latter view. H ll In detail, referring to Figs. 1 to 3 the general system disclosed therein comprisesan endless can carrier i that extends horizontally at a level above the separatestations that are below said carrier. This carrier may be in the form of a cable having an u per run on which the cans 2 are supported-in a row. Sade strips 3 support the cansvertically on the said upper run, which side strips are diverted laterally at spaced points, as at l, for shunting the cans off the carrier at said points, and to feed devices 5 each of which is adapted tofeed cans to one of the saidstations. At the opposite side of each device from the diverted strips 3 are members, 5 that are adapted to restore any cans passing eachdevice to upright position on the carrier for continuing its movement on the latter to the next device.

The feed devices} are each arranged to receive the cans on their sides, and for this. reason the vertically disposed canson carrier l must be given a quarter turn before actually reaching the feed portion of eachdevice. A turning device of substantially conventional type is positioned at the ends of the diverted strips 4. said turner comprising horizontally extending strips 8 defin ing the skeleton walls of a generally spiral, hori zontally extending pa sageway, which strips follow portions of spiral paths ior turning the cans from vertical positions to horizontal positions.

In Fig. 4 one of the devices 5 is shown in detail, which device comprises a generally vertically ex.- tending chute, twooi the opposite sidesv 9, H) of said chute may be projected upwardly above the level of the carrier l andhorizontally elongated so as to provide lateral extensions llthat are adapted to be'secure'd to one end of the turning device I. Lateral, extensions l2 opposite exten sions H are adapted to be secured to the strips 5 or to any desired support.

One of the othertwo sides of the chute coinprises the edge .14 (Fig. 5). of a plate ii that is parallel with sides 9,10. Tie rods and spacers, generally designated 56; may secure, the sides '9. it spaced apart slightly greater than the length of eachcanf Z when thelatteris lying horizontal, and said rods and spacers also function to hold plate l5 in position at a point intermediate sides 9, l0.

9, I respectively. If the upper end of the chute were not open the cans would merely be shunted off the carrier, turned on their sides, and then restored to vertical position on the carrier I without interruption, and even if the upper end of the chute were open this result would happen in some instances were it not for the provision of a spacer wheel mounted over the upper end of said chute for rotation in bearings carried by the upper ends of sides 9, I9.

The wheel 20 is rimless, and has spokes 2| projecting radially of its hub, the outer ends of which spokes are spaced apart so as to successively receive cans 2 from turner I in a manner that the cans will pass under the hub and will automatically rotate wheel 20 under the pressure of the succeeding cans passing through the turner 'I.

The ends 22 of the spokes 2| may be slightly bent in direction toward the oncoming cans, thus when a can is in the position 23 (indicated by dot-dash line) Fig. 4, and the adjacent pair of spokes between which such can is positioned are in dot-dash position 24, the can in said position will be spaced from the oncoming cans and will therefore be free to drop into the chute, provided the chute is clear. If it were not for the provision of means for so spacing said can. the can might be carried across the chute merely by its frictional engagement between cans at opposite sides thereof.

The vertical can chute ordinarily is virtually a section of a chute that leads to a station where the cans may be successively removed by an operator or where the cans may be taken off by a machine or fed into a machine. The lower ends of sides 9, It) may connect with the continuation of the chute that leads to a station or the cans may be fed onto a chute that extends to the station. In any event, where the operator or machine at the station stops removing the cans, or where the cans are fed to the station faster than the operator or machine removes them, the row of cans in the chute will fill up, and in such instance provision is made in the feed device of Fig. 4 for supporting the uppermost can of the filled row in a position for supporting the cans that are shunted off the conveyor I through the turner I so that these cans will continuously pass over said uppermost can and back onto the conveyor. However, means is also provided so that the instant cans are again drawn from the chute (by reason of the operator or machine at the station fed by the chute) the uppermost can in the row leading to the station Will immediately drop so that cans will again be fed into the upper end of the chute.

The means for so supporting a can in the upper end of the vertical chute comprises a star wheel having arms 3| radially projecting from its hub. This Wheel is mounted for rotation on a horizontal shaft 32 that is supported at its ends 1n sides 9, In and which shaft also extends through plate I1.

The shaft 32 is oifset to the side of the chute passageway adjacent plate I1 so that arms 3| will successively move to a position extending horizontally into said passageway fOr obstructing free dropping of cans through the same and for supporting a can in the upper end of the chute in a position in which cans from turner I will roll over such can for movement to the strips 6 and restoration in upright position on carrier I if the star wheel is held with said arm in said horizontal position. However, wheel 30 is free to rotate under the weight of a can on the arm that extends into the chute unless prevented therefrom.

The star wheel 30 is provided with a pair of axially extending lugs or projections 33 on its hub at opposite sides thereof. A vertically extending lever 34' pivoted intermediate its ends on horizontal pivot 35 (Fig. 4) on plate I'I carries a stop member 36 at its upper end that is adapted to swing over one of the lugs 33 when one of the arms 3I is horizontal in the chute for holding the star wheel against turning. The plate I I terminates short of the level of the lower end of plate I5 leaving a free space for a plate-like lower end portion 31 on said lever that is virtually in continuation of the plate I'I when the lever is vertical. Thus portion 3'! is positioned substantially opposite the plate I5, and the edge that faces into the chute is substantially in the same plane at right angles to sides 9, I 0 as the correspondingly positioned edge of plate II.

The pivot 35 for said lever 34 is substantially nearer the stop member 36 than it is to the bottom end of the lever, and said portion 31 is positioned so that it will automatically tend to swing into the chute in dotted position 38 at all times. However, when a can, such as is indicated at 39, is in the chute, said can will swing lever 34 to vertical position locking the star wheel 30 against rotation in the full line position seen in Fig. 4, but as soon as the can so engaging portion 31 is withdrawn, the lever will auto matically swing to said dotted position 38 and stop member 36 will automatically release the star wheel for turning.

In operation, when the row leading to the operating station is filled it will be seen that a can, such as the one at 39, will move to a position locking the star wheel 30 in a position in which said wheel supports the uppermost can 40, the position shown in Fig. 4, whereby the main row of cans on carrier I will be shunted therefrom and across can 40 and back onto said carrier. As soon as can 39 drops from engagement with portion 31 of lever 34, due to withdrawal of cans from the station that is fed by the device, the

star wheel 30 will drop can 40 and its place will be taken by a can from the main row that forms the source of supply.

A'spring 4| (Fig. 5) on shaft 32 functions to draw a friction collar 42 against plate I! to cut down the momentum of the star wheel, thereby preventing the same from coming to a stop where the stop member 36 may otherwise engage one of the lugs 33 in line with the axis of the wheel. The lever 34 should be free to make its intended swing at any time free from interference with the lugs 33. Also, by use of the spring 4| and friction collar 42, the star wheel will always move only a quarter turn (where four equally spaced arms are used), which is essential to the desired smooth operation of the device.

The take-off side of the upper end of the vertical chute where the strips or strip 6 receive cans that pass over the can in position 40, is preferably slightly lower than the delivery side, and

a murizontal iroi-lei- M iis 'lpositioned 47o dacilitate theapassageofecanstc striprfi.

[Inasmuch :as the cable carrier -l ip'asses very closely alongside the :feed -Iclevice, ii-t is obvious that :the degree of :sliuntin'g therefrom Lin -=o rder :InIFigLG-isa slight modification of thedevice and system of :Figs. .1 to :5, but the-fundamental idea is thesame.

The cans are supportedon-thei-r sides on acarri er 50 and are rolledaleng thecarried ipower drivensendless hold-down belt =51. The carrier -50 .istformed with-a gap, bestseen i-n F-ig. :for droppingof -cansiromthe carrier into theupper end of ca --feeddevicesuch as showndn Fig. 4 or :l'he .ieeding-device-ef Figs. Le -comprises a pair "of .oppesed plates 52, l 53 that substantially-horrespond :to plates v9, 4 Iljof Fig. "4; that they form the same two opposed sides of the chute.

A ro1ler 54 is carried 'by ,plates 52, 53 ad acent the edge of carrier :50 over which oncoming cans vareadapted to fallqinto-the chute, and overwhich roller theJcans are carried.

Astar whee'l 55 below roller 54fha s fourequally spacedearms 56,.projectin'g therefrom, said. wheel being supported for rotation on a horizontal shaft-5'! that is iournaled insulates 52, '55 ati-ts ends. LA'springSB and friction-collarell function :for thesame purpose as-spring M and collar 4-2 in the device ofF-ig. '4, namely; to prevent mementum of .the star wheel from carrying its arms an undesirable .distance around its I axis when "the same isfrevolved by the weightof a can.

Spacers #60 extending between .plates '52, -53

space thelplates and also function topr'eventthe cans from fall-ingout of the chute at one side thereof-, therefore said spacers may-be said tonic- ;fine one of thesides of thechute.

Upon cans falling into the chute from carrier 50, they will successively engage the arms 55 0f the staravheel'and each' can will effect a quarter turn of said wheel.

As said cans move past'the'star wheel they will pass downwardly betweenthe concave face-of an arcua'tly shaped plate 6"! and a printing wheel 62 that carries printing type '63 on itsperipheral surface. This-printing wheel is'converitional and is carried on a shaft 64 that is journaled at its ends inplates 52, 53. Apulley 65 and belt 55 driven sfrom any suitable source may rotate theprinter inthe direction of the arrows -(Fig. '7) ,Whi'ch disection of rotation will alsoiaci-litate movement of the cans past plate BI. Disks 6'! on shaft 64 also may engage the cans for holding them horizontal during their movement past plate 6!.

Plate 6! may be supported at its upper and lower ends on horizontal rods ID that extend through enlarged openings 63 in sides 52, 53. Springs H are secured at one of their ends to the outwardly projecting ends of rods 70, and the other ends of said springs are secured to lugs 12 on plate 52 (Fig. 8). There are a pair of similar springs at opposite ends of said rods, only one set being shown, inasmuch as the other set is congealed in a box I3 that houses a conventional mechanism for shifting the printer 62.

' The printer is ordinarily used for printing on -for dropping into-.a-.modified form of'device' seen in Figs. 7,-8.

the cans any desired-symbol iordesignating the grade of fruit inthecans-or-t belplacedfin them. ihe cans that :pass the ..printerare adapted to move downwardly by gravity onto a projection 15 -that is at the bettom end of a vertically exten'ding lev er =16. Lever '|6-is pivoted at l"! foi- -swinging'oi its lower end inwardly and upwardly, While the upperendef the lever has a lateral projection ldthat-isadapted to engage one of the =arms-56of the -sta r wheel when said lower end is so -swung. A --'space r and tie rod combination 1'9 between-plate 5i and sai'dportion l5-prevent cans fronrcentaoting lev er 15. A spring I00 (Fig. '8) may connect "the :end of -;lever 15 below .pivot Tl with wall 52 soas to{swing the lever vertically with the-projection lltclearo'f the arms of the star wheelunless there is a can against 'said portion l5. V e

ilans engagi ngmortion 15 will also be engaged byrotating'dislgs-fifllor tending to rotate thecans piithe portion 15 andonto the continuation illof the chute that leadsto the station. These disks N are -en ashaft-BZ that carries a pulley 83, which v.pulley in turn is driven by a belt 84 from any suitable sourceof power. V I

The star wheel 55-issopositioned that one of its arms will be locked-in a position extending horizonallyinto thechute when a can is against the portion i lever ilt-and whena can such as is indicated at Min -Fig. 7 is in said position, the cans 2 0f themain-row, Whichis thesource of supplyor the deed device, will be moved across can Siland 'on-to the continuation of the carrier beyond said can. v I N If the chute 8! is filled with cans, in whichcase 'acan, such as theories-indicated at 9! is on the portion 15,:it-i's obvious thatthe can 9G will be heldintheupper openend of the portion of the chute that-is the feed device, and no cans will 'pass -into-the chute, but-assoon as the can 9i, or the like, clears-the portion 15, then cans from the cal-river will agai-n pass through the feed "device.

From the foregoing description-and from the drawings, which are merely illustrative of the invention and not restrictive thereof, it will be seen that the 'feeli device forms an economical,

vertically extending chute forpassing cans in a single ii-1e therethrough and open at its upper end for receiving such bans therein, conveyor spectively leading to and f-rom opposite s 'o'f aid'upper 'en'd'ror carrying cans to and troi n said end, can engaging mea'ns actuated by downward movement by gravity of one can at a saint said 'ute fo'r rn'ovement of said can engagnig means into said chute in "a position for holding a can in the upper end of said chute in a position for supporting cans for movement thereover between the said opposite sides free from dropping into said chute, a pivoted arm operatively connected with said can engaging means and actuated by said one can at said point for releasably retaining said can engaging means in said position and for releasing said can engaging means upon movement past said point whereby the can adapted to be so held in the upper end of said chute will be released for dropping and clearing said upper end to receive another can, a wheel positioned over the upper end of said chute for spacing successive cans deliv- 7 ered to said upper end from'cans on said conveyor means at said opposite sides. a

2. A can feeding device comprising a generally vertically extending chute for passing cans in a single file therethrough and open at its upper end for receiving such cans therein, conveyor means respectively leading to and from opposite sides of said upper end for carrying cans to and from said end, can engaging means actuated by downward movement by gravity of one can at a point in said chute for movement of said can engaging means into said chute in a position for holding a can in the upper end of said chute in a position for supporting cans for movement thereover between the said opposite sides free from dropping into said chute, a pivoted arm operatively connected with said can en aging means and actuated by said one can at said point for releasably retaining said can engaging means in said position and for releasing said can engaging means upon movement past said point whereby the can adapted to be so held in the upper end of said chute will be released for dropping and clearing said upper end to receive another can, said conveyor means including an endless carrier extending past said upper end and shunt means extending between said carrier and said opposite sides of said upper end respectively for diverting cans from said carrier to one of said sides and for returnin cans to said carrier from the other of said sides.

3. A can feeding 'device comprising a generally vertically extendin chute 'for passing cans by gravity in single file therethrough and'open at its upper end for dropping cans therein, 0011- veyor means leading to and from said upper end, a star wheel supported on said chute at one'side thereof for rotation about a horizontal axis, the arms of said wheel projecting at one side there'- of into said chute and spaced for engagingand for successively delivering cans in said' chute therepast upon rotation of said wheel, a pivoted arm in engagement with such cans at a point in said chute below said wheel actuated for movement by each can delivered by said wheel to said point and engageable with said star wheel for releasably locking said wheel against rotation and delivery of cans therepast, until such can at said point has moved therepast.

4. In combination with an endless horizontally thereoverbetween said first and second men-'- tioned means, and a wheel for spacing cans successively delivered over said upper open end from cans at opposite sides thereof, a generally vertically extending arm swingably supported for movement of its lower end toward and away from thecans in said chute-and engageable at its upper end with said can supporting means for locking the latter when said lower end of said arm is engaged by a can and for releasin said can supporting means when acan moves downwardly past said lower end by' gravity whereby each can so delivered will be free to drop into said chute upon withdrawal of cans from said chute and dropping of said upper can in the chute for passage therethrough.

5. A can feeding device comprising a generally vertically extending chute for passin cans by gravity in single file therethrough and open at its upper end for dropping cans therein, conveyor means leading to and from said upper end, 'a star wheel supported on said chute at one side thereof for rotation about a horizontal axis, the arms of said wheel projecting at one side thereof into said chute and spaced for engaging and for successively deliverying cans in said chute therepast upon rotation of said wheel, an arm I alongside said chute supported at a point intermediate its ends for swingin on a horizontal axis, means at the lower end of said arm normally disposed in the downward path of travel of cans in said chute for outward swinging of the'lower end under the influence of the weight of cans in said path for permitting movement of said cans therepast, means at the upper end of said arm engageable with means on said star wheel adjacent the axis of rotation of said wheel for releasably locking said wheel against rotation upon such outward movement of said lower end of said arm and consequent swinging of said upper end'in an opposite direction, means on said star wheel adapted to be so engaged by the means at the upper end of said arm, said means on said upper end being releasable from looking engagement with the means on said star wheel upon cans in said chute clearing said means at the lower end of said arm and consequent inward swinging of said lower end.

JOHN ALBER'IOLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

